


Light on the water

by ioniclightning



Category: Cherik - Fandom, X-Men (Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: M/M, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-22
Updated: 2015-02-22
Packaged: 2018-03-14 14:50:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3414737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ioniclightning/pseuds/ioniclightning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fling with my two favorite characters; Erik Lehnsherr and Charles Xavier.<br/>I'm picturing the day-trip montage from the film X-men First Class. Charles and Erik discuss ideas and find being in one-another's company more and more appealing.  At home they seek the other out at night. There is a sense of how they grow closer, appreciate the other.<br/>I'm going to just continue this line of writing until I have to apply archive warnings. :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Light on the water

Above them the sky was clear. A breeze made the grass ripple, sending white flasher over the hill.  
Erik didn't pay attention to his own thoughts, he found himself smiling. He couldn't remember the last time someone held his attention like this. Charles sat in front of him on the grass. The man put such earnestness in his words, the blue eyes full of wonder, seeing a bright future.  
Charles breathed in. He pulled at the air with his hands, 'we could achieve so much, Erik.'  
Erik leant in closer, closer to that vision the other man saw. To almost see the uncountable minds this man had seen. People like them.  
Erik recalled the moment he had first felt this presence. There, among the dark waves;  
I am not alone. There is someone beside me. Someone like me. The sun made a glow on the pale skin, the features animated by the deep conviction of the good.  
Erik shifted his weight, not taking his eyes of the young professor. It was still a little surreal. Here he was, adding to a conversation on a breezy summer's day. It sounded like something out of a poem. A snippet cut from some other's life.  
The red lips phrased a joke, humour trickling into the blue eyes. Erik laughed out loud and the sound startled him. He made his laughter turn into a chuckle and shook his head. 'They'll turn you into their lab-rat,' he said, 'if you're not careful. Believe me when I tell you that is a bad thing.'  
The blue eyes turned serious, as they often did when he spoke like this.  
'I know, Erik. But this is nothing like what you have been through.' A quick smile flashed over the serious face, 'and I have you to keep an eye on things. There's a reason we crossed paths. We have a chance to do something great.'  
Erik blinked. A breeze cut across the hill, lifting up the leaves and carrying them into the sky. 

They walked up stone steps with no-on around them. The dying light cast a glow on the white square and mellowed the shadows.  
Charles ran a hand through his dark hair, Erik followed the motion with his eyes.  
'Anyway,' Charles said, sitting down on the steps, 'we'll have to start planning things. I think the house is big enough to house any number of people.'  
Erik scoffed, 'Oh I don't know. If we clear out the basement, maybe.'  
Charles laughed. 'We could drive around the country and go see them.'  
The other man sighed. He sat down and felt a weight on his shoulders. 'Other mutants, all rounded up in one place?' A hollow smile appeared in his face, baring teeth, 'doesn't sound like a good idea to me.'  
Charles looked down, heavy lashes touching his cheeks. 'Not if we ourselves are the ones to collect them. We'll be a team. United.' He extended his arm and placed it on the broad shoulders beside him. There was tense resistance there.  
Erik breathed in through his nose. He closed his eyes and relaxed against the touch.  
Charles smiled, looking out over the deserted tiles beneath them. 'The past will always remain the past, and we'll have to carry it with us. But we have it in us to shape a different future, a place that, in time, carries us. A place for all of us. I saw such loneliness.'

The parking lot had a coffee stand. Charles came back to the adjoining pond, two foam cups in his hands. Erik stood against the fence, lost in through. The street light cast dancing ripples on the dark surface, they reflected on the square face.  
Charles caught himself staring. The steel eyes had a lost look to them. Erik had some dark waters he had been drowning in, long before he had been physically pulled him from the waves. There was still so much pain there. He sighed and walked closer. 

In the car Charles slept. His head to one side and his arms crossed over his chest.  
Erik found himself enjoying the day by memory. The fresh air and Charles's voice still rang in his head. At times a smile appeared on his face, he kept looking at the still form beside him without really noticing. The ride was spent in silence, that for once, was not filled by brooding thoughts.  
He caught himself whistling a show-tune.  
Charles opened his eyes, Erik hastily pretended to turn off the radio. 

Charles was looking through the books in his study when the door opened. Guilt spread over him as he was disappointed it was Raven.  
She swept into his study and leant on the desk, 'So, what have you been up to? Do you still know me?'  
He frowned, stepping closer. 'Off course I still know you. What are you talking about?'  
She jumped, sitting on his desk, 'you've only been gone all day.'  
Charles leaned his hands on the same desk, shaking his head in disbelief, 'There was just so much to talk about.'  
She cast him an ironic smile,' It must be nice to actually have a conversation. Not explain yourself about everything twice.'  
Charles' eyes met hers, confused.  
Raven put a hand on her chest, her face a display of mock-stupidity.  
He turned and put his hands on her shoulders, 'never say that. I can always talk to you. You are my family. And you are very bright for a lady of your age.'  
She smiled and rolled her eyes, 'I didn't want this to be all serious. I think it's good for you. Erik looks better as well.'  
Charles let her go, interested, 'you think so?'  
'Absolutely. Now he only occasionally looks like he wants to run off and kill someone.'  
Charles sighed, 'you have no idea.'

Erik lay in bed that night. The guest room, to the left of the long hallway, felt empty. He folded his hands behind his head and stared at the ceiling.  
Charles turned to his side, pulling the sheet up to his chin. He stared at the shadows on the wall beside him. They reminded him of the light and darkness from the pond. He closed his eyes, wriggled his legs. After a moment he shifted to his other side. The night was quiet.  
Erik got up, he walked the length of the room. He wore his grey sweatpants, bare chest. No sound from the house. 

As Erik entered the dusky kitchen he was shocked to see Charles stand there. It was like walking into a scene his mind had somehow thought of before.  
The professor wore a red robe, striped pyjama bottoms and slippers thrown in.  
Erik smiled, 'up late again?'  
'Oh I,' Charles tipped his glass, making the ice-cube clink against the brim, 'just getting a drink.'  
'Things that need planning keeping you up?'  
Charles smiled, 'actually, I just can't find any sleep'  
They ended up in the living room, in front of a fire, playing chess.


End file.
